Crimp connector



Oct. 22, 1957 w. G. scHlNsKE CRIMP CONNECTOR l .Tv e e h S S t e e .n S 2 United States Patent Office 2,810,897 Patented Oct. 22, 1957 2,810,897 CRIMP CONNECTOR Application March 27, 1953, Serial No. 345,176 6. Claims. (Cl. 339--27 6) My invention resides in the lield of connecting elements for electrical circuits and the like and is an improvement on prior connecting devices for electric wires, leads, cables and the like. ln general, my invention can be stated as an improved form of connecting or holding element for either securing two or more Wires or electrical leads together so as to complete `an electrical circuit, or as an element for fastening or securing at least one wire, possibly two or more, to a base or support.

Therefore, an object of my invention is a new and improved electrical connector and the method of making it.

Another object is a new and improved electrical co-nnector for joining at least two electric wires or cables 'together to thus form an efficient electric union.

Another object is a new and improved eiectric connecting means of the crimp connector type.

Another object is a new and improved connecting means for fastening at least two electric wires to a base or support.

Another object is a new and improved connecting means for joining at least two electrical wires with an improved holding strength and efiiciency.

Other objects will appear from time to time in the ensuing specification and drawings in which:

Figure l is a side view of one type of connector with which my invention is associated;

Figure 2 is a sectional view along line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side view of another form of the connector shown in Figure l;

Figure 5 is an end view of the connector shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional view along line 6-6 of solid or non-braided Figure 5;

Figures 7 through 1l are sectional views similar to Figure 6 but showing various modifications of my new and improved connector;

Figure l2 is a side view of the connecting element shown in Figures 1 through 11, on a reduced scale, prior to the crimping operation;

Figure 13 is an end view element in Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a sectional view of the form the crimp connection taken along Figure 15; j

Figure l5 is a sectional view taken along the line 15-15 of Figure 14;

Figure 16 is a sectional view similar to Figure 14 illustrating the crimping dies for making the crimp connection in Figure 8;

Figure 17 is a side view of the crimping dies in Figure 16; and

Figures '18, 19 and 2O are, respectively, the upper crimping dies for making the crimp connections illustrated in Figures 9, and 11.

In Figures l through 3 I have shown a pair of electrical leads 10 and 12 which are secured together by a connectof the uncrimped connecting crimping dies to line 14-14 in 14. l have shown the electrical leads as being suitable insulation and such can be the case, if desired. However, it should be understood that my new and improved connector can be used with naked wires if such a structure is desirable. The connecting element may be composed oi a cylindrical metal ring of the proper diameter, thickness and length and along its upper edges it has a longitudinally disposed groove or indentation 16 so that the element is divided into two portions, a convex portion 29 and a concave portion 22.

In Figure 2 the indentation 16 engages the ends of the leads 10 and 12 and is slightly depressed into the bare metal so as to firmly grasp both of them between the two portions 20 and Z2 of the connecting element.

The element prior to the formation of the indentation 16 is in the form of a cylindrical ring or tube 18, as shown in Figures l2 and 13. The desired number of leads, it being understood that more than two can be used, are inserted into the interior of the tube until the ends of the leads protrude beyond the opposite edge of the tube. Then the indentation 16 is formed by a suitable tool, this being termed the crimping operation, and the indentation is depressed until the inner surface of portion 22 firmly engages, and, as a matter of fact, forms a slight indentation in the leads. Thus, in effect, as shown in Figure 2, the tube 18 is composed, after the crimping operation, ot two portions, the larger uncrimped convex portion 2t) and the smaller but crimped concave portion 22. Once the connection has been formed, the excess portion of the leads that protrude beyond the edge of the crimping element may be cut ott by any suitable tool.

ln Figures 4 through 6, I have shown the indentation in a slightly different form. Note in Figure 3 that the indentation 16 extends longitudinally along the connecting element 20 from one end to the other; however, in Figure 6 the indentation 24 is disposed between the ends ot the connecting elemen The depressed portion 26 of the indentation rmly engages and projects slightly into the leads in a manner similar to that shown and described with reference to Figures 1 through 3.

Although l have shown and described with reference to Figures l through 6 the use of the connecting element with two electrical leads, it should be understood that the device can be used with a number of leads. For example, I have found that my particular connecting element can be used to secure as many as ten or twelve wires and even this should not be interpreted as an upper limit. Furthermore, this particular connecting element can be used to secure two or more wires to a base, support, or other suitable iixtures; and in this case the body of the connecting element may be provided with an apertured tab, that tab being designed to accept a conventional cap screw so that the connecting element may be secured along with the desired number of wires to a base or support. This type of structure is well known in the art and additional explanation is considered superfluous.

ln addition, in Figure l, I have shown in dotted lines the two electrical leads as approaching from opposite sides of the connecting element and it should be understood that all of the wires can enter the connecting element from one way, this being the general case. These are features well known to the art and are considered obvious alternatives from what is shown and described.

In Figures 7 through l1, I have shown modifications which can be applied to the indentations shown in Figures 1 through 6. 1^ should be understood that any of the modifications in Figures 7 through 11 can be applied to the connecting element of Figure 3, as Well as the element of Figure 6, even though l have shown Figures 7 through 11 in the form of Figure 6.

A connecting element of this type must have a certain ing element provided with 3 holding or grasping trade it will be subjected to rigid tests which determine of these units that Thus, it is desirable that the inslightly into the body of the'wires of the wire to form a mechanical blocking crimping operof these two somewhat vertlcal surfaces, and I have found that the eiciency and over-all strength of a connection of this type can be substantially increased by the provision of more than one co-acting surfaces.

rality of projections 36,

In Figure 7, I

jections as more than two different type of connector.

If tension is applied between the connector and two or more of the wires, instead of a single pair of engaging contacting surface for the leads or wires.

The same structure and result are effected in the modications shown in Figure 8, except that the arcuate projections 36 are each identically provided with a pronounced pointed projection 42. It should be noted in this figure that the additional pointed projections extend In Figures l and 11 I have shown another type of additional projection which can be provided in the bottoni of the indentation. This projectionV is square; in` contour as compared to projections'42 and 44 in` Figures 8 and 9 and can be applied to either the arcuate indentations 36, as shown in Figure 7, see reference numeral 46 in Figure Therefore, I have two types of pronounced projections, the pointed type 42 and 44 in Figures 8 and 9 Figures 10 and 11. Each of these can be applied to either the arcuate indentation 24 in Figure 6.

In addition, it should be jectlons and the undulating of Figures 6 and 7 alone.

In Figure 14, I have shown an upper die' 50 and a lower die 52 which are movable toward and away from one another so as to oppose each other. Each of the dies is provided with a somewhat semi-circular elongated circular elongated groove 56 on the upper ing or main projecting element 60 with portion thereof having a From this it can be seen that the main projection 60 with its two arcuate projections 62 between the dies with the stripped ends of the electrical wires therein, followed by the closing of the dies until they closely approach or contact one another, if necessary, during which the depending. portion or projection 60 will contact the sleeve I8 and form the depression 32 shown in Figure 7.

I find that a much tighter and more ecient electrical connection can be formed by providing the lower die projections 62 are now each provided with a superimposed pointed projection 64. It will be noted that the co-acting dies of these gures are specically designed to form the electrical crimp connection of Figure 8.

projection does not have the undulating contour of Figure 14.

depending portion with a. pair of square or sharp cornered projections 68 superimposed on the undulating contour of Figure 14. In this sense the upper die in Figure 19 is related to the dies in Figures 16 and 14. On the other hand, Figure 20 represents the upper die performing the electrical crimp connection of Figure 11 and the lower surface of the depending portion has a pair of square projections 70 superimposed on a straight contour, much the same as Figure 18.

In all of the dies shown in should be understood that the a slightly concave or convex cylindrical sleeve in either one and the main difference between the connections formed by dies of Figures 16 through 20 is the types of projections formed on the main depending portion of the upper d Figures 14 through 20, it lower die may have either contour so as to bow the direction or the other,

It should be noted that I have not shown any speciiic mechanism by which the dies are made to co-act with one another to form the various electrical connections shown and it should be understood that the dies can be formed in any conventional press, portable and hand manipulated tool, bench attachment or the like without departing from the spirit of my invention and the means for acquiring relative motion between the dies is unimportant. It should also be understood that my designation of upper and lower as applied to the dies is merely a relative term used for descriptive purposes only.

I also contemplate the use of this type of connecting means and the various modifications thereof with wires made of any material and my connector has been used etectively with wires of copper and aluminum. In addition, the wires can be all solid, all stranded, or combinations of solid and stranded, and my connector has shown improved results.

Whereas I have shown and described the selected form of my crimp connecting element and the dies for forming the same, of, it should be understood that various alterations and changes can be made without departing from the fundamental inventive theme which prevails throughout the disclosure and I wish that my invention be interpreted broadly and unrestricted except by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an electrical connection of the crimp type, at least two wires and a tubular metal sleeve surrounding them, the diameter of the wires being substantially smaller than and related to the inside diameter of the sleeve, such that the wires till only a minor portion of the sleeve before it is crimped, a longitudinal indentation on one side of the sleeve generally parallel to the wires and extending a substantial distance toward the opposite side of the sleeve so as to engage and slightly indent the wires, the indentation in the sleeve being longitudinally arcuate and having a diameter less than but related to the original sleeve diameter, such that the wires will be entrapped by along with various modications there' the indentation against the opposite side of the sleeve under substantial pressure in contact with each other as well as in contact under pressure with the indented and unindented sides of the sleeve.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which the longitudinal indentation has a longitudinal undulating configuration with at least two minor longitudinally arcuate indentations projecting between and into the wires.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the longitudinal indentation has at least two minor sharp cornered indentations projecting between and into the Wires.

4. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the longitudinal indentation includes at least two minor indentations projecting toward the unindented side of the sleeve.

5. 1n an electrical connection of the crimp type, at least two wires and a tubular metal sleeve surrounding them, the diameter of the wires being substantially smaller than but related to the inside diameter of the sleeve, such that the wires fill a minor portion of the sleeve before it is crimped, an indentation on one side of the sleeve eX- tending longitudinally and generally parallel to the wires, said indentation also extending laterally a substantial distance toward the opposite side of the sleeve in indenting relationship with the wires, the indentation being arcuate in lateral cross section and having a diameter less than but related to the diameter of the sleeves unindented side, such that the wires Will be entrapped by the indentation against the unindented side of the sleeve under substantial pressure in contact with each other as well as in contact under pressure with both the indented and unindented sides of the sleeve.

6. The structure of claim 5 further characterized in that the longitudinal indentation includes at least two minor indentations projecting toward the unindented side of the sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

